No More Stagefright = Have Fun Speaking

By: Dianne Legro

By Dianne LegroSpeech and Presentation Coach & President of Speaking Success, Inc.

7 Tips that calm and center you before your presentation:

1. Breathe and stretch before your presentation for at least ten minutes. This refreshes you, gets oxygen flowing to your brain and releases the hold your mind has on your body which gives you that "pent up" feeling.

2. Bend your knees slightly and bring your torso over your hips, so that your back is long and loose and your tailbone is pointed towards the floor. Let your shoulders drop. This put you directly aligned over your center of gravity and makes you stronger and calmer.

4. Rehearse your opening and closing. Slowly go over the words you will say so that you are confident.

5. Before you speak, take a deep breath and find a face in the audience to connect with. Smile. Let them know you are glad to be there with them.

6. Remind yourself how important it is for people to receive this information. This takes the responsibility off you and puts it on the subject that they need to learn about.

7. Do a soft humming exercise. Close your lips and softly hum using the letter "mmmmmmmm." This warms up your resonance and gets your tongue and lips relaxed and loose.

Remember, the presentation is not about you. People have come into the room needing to hear the information you have for them. What you need to think about is them and how much they need to hear the information! It helps them and takes your mind off YOU!

About the Author

For the past 18 years Dianne has worked with Fortune 500 Companies and top government agencies to optimize leadership & communication skills. As a veteran Broadway stage performer,